Nas I agree a win is a win now matter what the score is but 7 goals in your last 4 gm's and 23 in 9 gm's is not good. A few blowout wins could help this teams confidence level, not a guarantee but it couldn't hurt.

I was at the game today. The Bruins played alright IMO, but Florida did not look like a NHL team out there. They were awful in all three zones. Hopefully the Bruins gained some confidence from this game, but I wouldn't put any stock in in the final score. It was more about Florida mailing it in and stinking up the joint than anything the Bruins did.

I'm holding out hope that the Bruins will turn the corner and come on strong in the playoffs, but I didn't see any significant chages today other than playing a team that made more dumb mistakes than they did,

I was at the game today. The Bruins played alright IMO, but Florida did not look like a NHL team out there. They were awful in all three zones. Hopefully the Bruins gained some confidence from this game, but I wouldn't put any stock in in the final score. It was more about Florida mailing it in and stinking up the joint than anything the Bruins did.

I'm holding out hope that the Bruins will turn the corner and come on strong in the playoffs, but I didn't see any significant chages today other than playing a team that made more dumb mistakes than they did,

It sounds like you're saying the Bruins didn't earn the win but instead it was about the Panther's ineptitude.

I was at the game today. The Bruins played alright IMO, but Florida did not look like a NHL team out there. They were awful in all three zones. Hopefully the Bruins gained some confidence from this game, but I wouldn't put any stock in in the final score. It was more about Florida mailing it in and stinking up the joint than anything the Bruins did.

I'm holding out hope that the Bruins will turn the corner and come on strong in the playoffs, but I didn't see any significant chages today other than playing a team that made more dumb mistakes than they did,

It sounds like you're saying the Bruins didn't earn the win but instead it was about the Panther's ineptitude.

Yea, kind of. The Bruins played the hand they were dealt and won. After a 4 game losing streak that's a step in the right direction and hopefully builds confidence. However in this observers eyes, Florida had no cohesiveness and made a ton of mistakes. The Bruins were sloppy too, but Florida failed to capitalize on thier mistakes. I don't think they beat an upper echelon team with today's effort.

Nas I agree a win is a win now matter what the score is but 7 goals in your last 4 gm's and 23 in 9 gm's is not good. A few blowout wins could help this teams confidence level, not a guarantee but it couldn't hurt.

It doesn't matter how many goals you score as long as you score more than the opposition. The B's have been doing that all season.

And please don't give me the tired, "If it weren't for the early season victories..." malarky. If anything, this team is better now than it was in January with the addition of Jagr.

I thought they played pretty decent. Redden and Soderberg both looked pretty good. I thought Lucic was much better. I wonder if someone will start another thread about how it's time to replace the coaching staff.

I fully believe that Julien should be shown the door. This is not based upon one game or one period, so there isn't a need for me to discuss it after every game. It is not reactionary, it is well thought out. But, I bet you thought that was funny when you wrote it.

I fully believe that Julien should be shown the door. This is not based upon one game or one period, so there isn't a need for me to discuss it after every game. It is not reactionary, it is well thought out. But, I bet you thought that was funny when you wrote it.

Disagree completely. Also not reactionary and well thought out on my part. No need to discuss further.

Unless there is a cup win i think a new voice is needed and the entire staff needs an overhaul. Playing strong def isnt new and most coaches use a tight def to keep a job. Im really impressed with oates. Its not easy to get all players and mainly ovi to believe. Hes getting the best outta the superstars and the grinders. He doesnt get rattled. He has improved the pp. great job by him.

when you see guys like lucic horton peverly and others drop off this quick its gotta be something. Im in favor of change.

Listen, a Bruins fan isn't someone who only has good things to say about the team. Whether they win or lose any intelligent Bruins fan can make accuate observations about the team. You have to admit that this years team has had some real problems scoring goals and having a respectable power play. They also have been unable to beat Montreal and Pittsburgh who are the other top two teams in the East. (Okay, they have beaten Montreal once this year!) They did not have this type of problem a few years ago when they won the Cup. They always were up to beat the better teams in the league and sometimes had problems when it came to the weaker teams. I'm just hoping that they get healthy, lines become fixed, and that they get a bit more hungry/focused before the playoffs start. Also, during a power play, it would be nice if they would try to skate into the slot area for a quality shot on goal rather than shooting from the perimeter!

Cup or bust for Julien? Really? Wow. People have some short memories for the days of Ftorek, Dave Lewis, Mike Keenan, even Pat Burns. Julien hockey is firewagon compared to Pat Burns. Ready for another Rick Bowness? Steve Kasper anyone? No? Maybe Terry's willing to come back? Or are you craving the return of Mad Mike?

This team won one playoff series in what, 15 years? They've won at least one series in 50% of Julien's time here, and the first Cup in 40 years. But if he doesn't win a second one in two years, el boot-o.

Just to be clear, if they run him out after a lackluster playoffs, I won't be surprised, but I will be curious to see who they're going to bring in that will get more out of this roster every day, all day. I don't want a next coach who will be like old "Answered the iron" Boucher, genius it up for 60 games and then miss the playoffs for two years. No short term boost because it's a different voice only to see the team flounder once the honeymoon is over.

Listen, a Bruins fan isn't someone who only has good things to say about the team. Whether they win or lose any intelligent Bruins fan can make accuate observations about the team. You have to admit that this years team has had some real problems scoring goals and having a respectable power play. They also have been unable to beat Montreal and Pittsburgh who are the other top two teams in the East. (Okay, they have beaten Montreal once this year!) They did not have this type of problem a few years ago when they won the Cup. They always were up to beat the better teams in the league and sometimes had problems when it came to the weaker teams. I'm just hoping that they get healthy, lines become fixed, and that they get a bit more hungry/focused before the playoffs start. Also, during a power play, it would be nice if they would try to skate into the slot area for a quality shot on goal rather than shooting from the perimeter!

Sure they did. We beat tampa 1-0 in game 7 and the same people were complaining about the same things. This team doesnt have one guy that you can count on to score. It scores by committee. The bruins cup winning team had very similar problems. Starting with the pp. the cup winning team had the same hills to climb. Starting with their first round when they played the habs.

Lots of up and downs in a season. We may have lost to pitt and montreal but weve dominated the rangersm sens and leafs of late. Guess who we likely play in the first round.

Cup or bust for Julien? Really? Wow. People have some short memories for the days of Ftorek, Dave Lewis, Mike Keenan, even Pat Burns. Julien hockey is firewagon compared to Pat Burns. Ready for another Rick Bowness? Steve Kasper anyone? No? Maybe Terry's willing to come back? Or are you craving the return of Mad Mike?

This team won one playoff series in what, 15 years? They've won at least one series in 50% of Julien's time here, and the first Cup in 40 years. But if he doesn't win a second one in two years, el boot-o.

Just to be clear, if they run him out after a lackluster playoffs, I won't be surprised, but I will be curious to see who they're going to bring in that will get more out of this roster every day, all day. I don't want a next coach who will be like old "Answered the iron" Boucher, genius it up for 60 games and then miss the playoffs for two years. No short term boost because it's a different voice only to see the team flounder once the honeymoon is over.

Book, this team is not growing. Its the same style, same outlook and same brutal pp. replacing a coach doesnt always work and yes he has a cup on his resume. But hes also has a very very good roster and always an excellent goalie.

Ive watched this yrs team and i think he has managed hamilton perfectly. Im not placing blame on him. But i can see a change if they lose early.

What do you mean by "not growing?," shupe? I mean, FAT alone has grown.... Oh, not that? OK.

Same style and same outlook aren't bad things when you're starting the playoffs with home ice every year, are near the top of the goals against board every year, and the top third of the league in goals for every year. A lot of this is team construction...but maybe I need another thread for this.

That Cup win is huge for one big reason: a coach whose teams finish high in the standings year after year but can't get it done in the playoffs gets fired because he can't get his team over the hump. CJ got them over the hump. And what was amazing about that 2011 season was that they were unfazed by...everything. Lost the first two games on home ice to the hated Shabs - guess we'll just win the next two in MTL. Give up the lead late in game 7 on a Subban PPG? Guess we'll just win it in OT. Face the Flyers again one year after they embarrassed the Bruins with an all-time comeback? Dominate them. Go up 3-0 again? Put the hammer down. Blow leads vs. Tampa? Meh. It's a long series. Play a nailbiter of a defensive struggle vs. Tampa? Sure. We'll shut you and your super-line down and win 1-0. Lose games one and two on heartbreaker goals in the last 20 seconds of game one and the first 11 seconds of OT in game two? Oh well. Let's just crush them 12-1 in teh next two games. Lose momentum, and get pushed to the brink in another 1-0 game in Vancouver? Hey, we can score in Boston, right? BAM! 5-2. Game 7 of the Finals in Vancouver and the Bruins have scored an average of less than 1 goal per game in Vancouver throughout the series? No problem, just shut out Vancouver...and have Bergeron and Marchand put on a clinic. Cup. Duck boats. Bad rap and party bill controversies.

That kind of mental resilience is great coaching, a great room, and a commitment by the players and coaches to treat each game as its own microcosm - meaning you don't mess with it because of things in the atmosphere. That's Julien's philosophy to a T. He's proven it can get you to the finish line, so it will take a lot for me to be convinced that a change is as good as a rebuild in Boston - notwithstanding the regular season slumps of the past two years. And if they lay an egg in the playoffs, then, well, maybe you have to look at major changes.

im not denying what you've wrote. Im also not sold that he is the author of this. This is a very very good team with a strong leader.

he was also beat by a team that basically benched ovie last year, also lost after having a 3-0 lead. Sure he has had one cup run. But what has his teams done beyond that. This team is very predictable. I dont find they are prepared many nights and dont know when to step on a teams throat. If you blame the players it also means you gotta look at the coach. I mean we see him put ST on with a minute left while trailing. I know its one example but this team is gonna win if RWTK is coaching bc it as a lot of talent. The east has also been up and down the last few yrs

Im not sold he is the reason we win. He has a simple defensive system that doesnt offer a lot of creativity and a terrible pp. I understand coaches who do it with minimal talent but this team isnt one of them. you listed a slew of coaches but they didnt have a stacked team like this.

Again, im thankful for his cup win. I just think we have a lot of skill and a new voice often helps that. I dont want an old school type. Oates is my best example of a coach i would be interested in.

Hockey is different than the other major sports, to the degree that any team that makes it to the dance has "a chance". How many times have we heard the comment, "The Stanley Cup is the hardest championship to win"? Claude's team has done that and won a Cup two years ago. Let this be abundantly clear, should the Bruins be, as currently constructed a Stanley Cup prohibitivefavorite, year in year out? No. Are the Bruins SO stacked, that it's Stanley Cup or bust every year? No. I think there are a few teams that have more talent than the Bruins and they don't seem to have the "fire the coach" every year issues. To name a couple...

Chicago Blackhawks - More talent than the Bruins. Joel Quenneville has had a similar track record as Claude including 2 straight years of losses in the Conference Quarters... still the coach.

Detroit Redwings - Mike Babcock has coached the Wings for the past eight years. Won the Cup SIX years ago and for the past three years, smoked in the semi's, lost in the semi's, and last year SMOKED in the quarters.

Boston Bruins - (07-08) lost in game 7 quarters, (08-09) lost in game 7 of semis, (09-10), lost in game 7 of semis, (10-11) Stanley Cup, (11-12) lost in game 7 of the quarters. Stack's up pretty well IMO.

So why are the Bruins different again? Do we have such greater rosters than these teams that Claude's mismanagement has caused them to underperform?

Hockey is different than the other major sports, to the degree that any team that makes it to the dance has "a chance". How many times have we heard the comment, "The Stanley Cup is the hardest championship to win"? Claude's team has done that and won a Cup two years ago. Let this be abundantly clear, should the Bruins be, as currently constructed a Stanley Cup prohibitivefavorite, year in year out? No. Are the Bruins SO stacked, that it's Stanley Cup or bust every year? No. I think there are a few teams that have more talent than the Bruins and they don't seem to have the "fire the coach" every year issues.

Chicago Blackhawks - More talent than the Bruins. Joel Quenneville has had a similar track record as Claude including 2 straight years of losses in the Conference Quarters... still the coach.

Detroit Redwings - Mike Babcock has coached the Wings for the past eight years. Won the Cup SIX years ago and for the past three years, smoked in the semi's, lost in the semi's, and last year SMOKED in the quarters.

So why are the Bruins different again? Do we have such greater rosters than these teams that Claude's mismanagement has caused them to underperform?

Someone explain this to me, please.

I'm a CJ supporter so i'll get that out of the way, but these are two great examples.Babcock has one Cup, Quenneville has one Cup and they are thought of as geniuse's and if we are going with the stacked team theory these guys should have won multiple Cups. I find that alot of CJ's critics really just don't like his coaching style and thats the problem, results be damned.

What do you mean by "not growing?," shupe? I mean, FAT alone has grown.... Oh, not that? OK.

Same style and same outlook aren't bad things when you're starting the playoffs with home ice every year, are near the top of the goals against board every year, and the top third of the league in goals for every year. A lot of this is team construction...but maybe I need another thread for this.

That Cup win is huge for one big reason: a coach whose teams finish high in the standings year after year but can't get it done in the playoffs gets fired because he can't get his team over the hump. CJ got them over the hump. And what was amazing about that 2011 season was that they were unfazed by...everything. Lost the first two games on home ice to the hated Shabs - guess we'll just win the next two in MTL. Give up the lead late in game 7 on a Subban PPG? Guess we'll just win it in OT. Face the Flyers again one year after they embarrassed the Bruins with an all-time comeback? Dominate them. Go up 3-0 again? Put the hammer down. Blow leads vs. Tampa? Meh. It's a long series. Play a nailbiter of a defensive struggle vs. Tampa? Sure. We'll shut you and your super-line down and win 1-0. Lose games one and two on heartbreaker goals in the last 20 seconds of game one and the first 11 seconds of OT in game two? Oh well. Let's just crush them 12-1 in teh next two games. Lose momentum, and get pushed to the brink in another 1-0 game in Vancouver? Hey, we can score in Boston, right? BAM! 5-2. Game 7 of the Finals in Vancouver and the Bruins have scored an average of less than 1 goal per game in Vancouver throughout the series? No problem, just shut out Vancouver...and have Bergeron and Marchand put on a clinic. Cup. Duck boats. Bad rap and party bill controversies.

That kind of mental resilience is great coaching, a great room, and a commitment by the players and coaches to treat each game as its own microcosm - meaning you don't mess with it because of things in the atmosphere. That's Julien's philosophy to a T. He's proven it can get you to the finish line, so it will take a lot for me to be convinced that a change is as good as a rebuild in Boston - notwithstanding the regular season slumps of the past two years. And if they lay an egg in the playoffs, then, well, maybe you have to look at major changes.

What a fantastic piece of writing! Blows anyone who wants CJ fired out of the water!

I thought they played pretty decent. Redden and Soderberg both looked pretty good. I thought Lucic was much better. I wonder if someone will start another thread about how it's time to replace the coaching staff.

I fully believe that Julien should be shown the door. This is not based upon one game or one period, so there isn't a need for me to discuss it after every game. It is not reactionary, it is well thought out. But, I bet you thought that was funny when you wrote it.

I wasn't trying to be funny just showing the the irony of you calling other whiners but here you are yelling for the coach to be canned just a week ago.

Hockey is different than the other major sports, to the degree that any team that makes it to the dance has "a chance". How many times have we heard the comment, "The Stanley Cup is the hardest championship to win"? Claude's team has done that and won a Cup two years ago. Let this be abundantly clear, should the Bruins be, as currently constructed a Stanley Cup prohibitivefavorite, year in year out? No. Are the Bruins SO stacked, that it's Stanley Cup or bust every year? No. I think there are a few teams that have more talent than the Bruins and they don't seem to have the "fire the coach" every year issues. To name a couple...

Chicago Blackhawks - More talent than the Bruins. Joel Quenneville has had a similar track record as Claude including 2 straight years of losses in the Conference Quarters... still the coach.

Detroit Redwings - Mike Babcock has coached the Wings for the past eight years. Won the Cup SIX years ago and for the past three years, smoked in the semi's, lost in the semi's, and last year SMOKED in the quarters.

Boston Bruins - (07-08) lost in game 7 quarters, (08-09) lost in game 7 of semis, (09-10), lost in game 7 of semis, (10-11) Stanley Cup, (11-12) lost in game 7 of the quarters. Stack's up pretty well IMO.

So why are the Bruins different again? Do we have such greater rosters than these teams that Claude's mismanagement has caused them to underperform?

I find that alot of CJ's critics really just don't like his coaching style and thats the problem, results be damned.

Agreed, "if a wins-a-wins-a win" I don't see how the same person can say, "Fire Claude".

I like it when the B's are firing on all cylinders and look like a juggernaut but when it comes right down to it i'm "a wins a win" guy.Its a results oriented business and CJ gets results, it can be frustrating to watch sometimes and not very pretty but hey a "wins a win". I don't think the Devil fans were complaining when they won Cups with Lemaire who is the standard by which all boring coaches should be measured.

Funny enuff I once hated CJ as coach & couldn't stand his playing 4 lines with 2 mins left & down a goal type coaching. There are things that still bugs me & his loyalty is one. I think Lucic should've sat long before he did, but I'm not going to say get rid of the coach who finally coached the B's to a cup "the hard way". There's been a repeat of the finals twice in the past 30 yrs. Det vs Pitt in 08 & 09. I think CJ is part of this team, because he's the one who was at the helm when the core players bought into this system. If he goes I think the coach that comes in to replace him will have a heck of hard time trying to get this "team that is like one big family" to buy into anything else. You'll pretty much have to start moving a lot of pieces again. That may start in this off season. AF, RP & NH will be the starting point. CJ's name is already being mentioned as the front runner for the Team Canada at 2014 games, so he must be doing something right.